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Woodson puts team in jeopardy!

Knicks coach: Melo asked out before spill; star questionable for next two games

By MARC BERMAN

The Knicks coach said yesterday he could have protected Carmelo Anthony from a nasty spill that KO’d him with a right-knee injury Monday had he only listened to his star’s request to exit the game. Now the gaffe could cost Anthony at least two games.

“Melo was hurting,” Woodson said in his weekly appearance on ESPN Radio. “He asked me to come out of the game before he actually took that spill. It made me realize something wasn’t right. He’s never ever, ever wanted to come out of a game. I’ve played him too much. Melo is a trouper, warrior and tough kid.”
The Knicks listed Anthony as questionable for tonight’s game at Detroit because of a "stiff/sore right knee." General manager Glen Grunwald, in an appearance on WFAN, said Anthony is “not certain” for tomorrow’s game against the vaunted Thunder at the Garden.

“I should have [taken him out],” Woodson said. “Stubborn coach. I just didn’t. We’re down 22. I’m going to leave one of my best players in the game. “Maybe I should’ve taken him out before he stumbled and took the fall,’’ Woodson added. “I’m thinking the game, he’ll play through it and figure it out. He was hurt, and walked out after he took the spill and didn’t come back. That’s not Melo-like.” Anthony said his knee has bothered him for two weeks, but the Knicks medical staff has not diagnosed anything serious. Anthony said he underwent an MRI exam Saturday and no structural damage was found.
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Ok, so where do I even begin???? You have a coach ignoring his star players request to be subbed. This is the same coach that is ultra delicate with players for injury purposes. What pisses me off as well is you're not supposed to be in a position to NEED your star player in the game down 22 against a 20-40 team! Finally, this man had the balls to say he figured Melo would play through it and figure it out. So you realized somoething wasn't right but still left him in the game... WOW! What kind of BS is that?? You don't mess with your star player's health, especially when you continually say that Melo is a huge part of what you do. I'm disgusted by this.

Anti-Woody fest in full effect. Give the man a break. He did what he thought was right. What happened, happened. No need to bash Woodson for everything he does. He makes mistakes, every coach does. Without this man this team was barely a .500 squad. I trust him more than I do Amare or Melo. I agree Woody's stubborn at times, but at least he has balls to come out and say "I ****ed up".

Knicks coach: Melo asked out before spill; star questionable for next two games

By MARC BERMAN

The Knicks coach said yesterday he could have protected Carmelo Anthony from a nasty spill that KO’d him with a right-knee injury Monday had he only listened to his star’s request to exit the game. Now the gaffe could cost Anthony at least two games.

“Melo was hurting,” Woodson said in his weekly appearance on ESPN Radio. “He asked me to come out of the game before he actually took that spill. It made me realize something wasn’t right. He’s never ever, ever wanted to come out of a game. I’ve played him too much. Melo is a trouper, warrior and tough kid.”
The Knicks listed Anthony as questionable for tonight’s game at Detroit because of a "stiff/sore right knee." General manager Glen Grunwald, in an appearance on WFAN, said Anthony is “not certain” for tomorrow’s game against the vaunted Thunder at the Garden.

“I should have [taken him out],” Woodson said. “Stubborn coach. I just didn’t. We’re down 22. I’m going to leave one of my best players in the game. “Maybe I should’ve taken him out before he stumbled and took the fall,’’ Woodson added. “I’m thinking the game, he’ll play through it and figure it out. He was hurt, and walked out after he took the spill and didn’t come back. That’s not Melo-like.” Anthony said his knee has bothered him for two weeks, but the Knicks medical staff has not diagnosed anything serious. Anthony said he underwent an MRI exam Saturday and no structural damage was found.
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Ok, so where do I even begin???? You have a coach ignoring his star players request to be subbed. This is the same coach that is ultra delicate with players for injury purposes. What pisses me off as well is you're not supposed to be in a position to NEED your star player in the game down 22 against a 20-40 team! Finally, this man had the balls to say he figured Melo would play through it and figure it out. So you realized somoething wasn't right but still left him in the game... WOW! What kind of BS is that?? You don't mess with your star player's health, especially when you continually say that Melo is a huge part of what you do. I'm disgusted by this.

Thoughts?

I'm not sure if anyone else noticed but Melo has been showing signs of being hurt for a couple of games now. He's been wincing in pain on many occasions but I guess tried to be a trouper and not ask out. I think like last time he was hurt that when his shot is way off he'l try and play through it but something was a miss.

Playing out of position will continue to wear him down.

Also, did you read Woody blaming himself for limiting STAT'S minutes vs the Heat?

While I like the fact Woody seems accountable, these are ill advised, obvious mistakes made worse by the fact hi predecessor was ridiculed for the same poor choices.

Perhaps We aren't the only ones giving him flack for his bad decisions.

I mean really... who thought it was a better idea to start White over Stat. And then not let him finish to boot? Wasn't that what coach said. That finishing was more important than starting. As long ashe realizes that if like he sad he was "stubborn" then more than likely he was stubborn with other decisions or lack there of. We'll see tonight.

No STAT = ME NO LONGER SUPPORT WOODY. PERIOD. I'm a fan of the team and cannot support anyone who tries to undermine our success; purposely or not.

Then again what are you gonna say when we lose a game by 2 points and Melo is not in the game because he's hurt? Are you gonna blame Melo for being a *****? Are you gonna blame Woodson for sitting him?

Most posts on here are just playing the blame game, just stop really.

Woody made a mistake, owned up to it, let's hope he moves on and improves. Most of our weakness is just our players playing like crap so giving so much sh*t to the coach is nonsensical.

Then again what are you gonna say when we lose a game by 2 points and Melo is not in the game because he's hurt? Are you gonna blame Melo for being a *****? Are you gonna blame Woodson for sitting him?

Most posts on here are just playing the blame game, just stop really.

Woody made a mistake, owned up to it, let's hope he moves on and improves. Most of our weakness is just our players playing like crap so giving so much sh*t to the coach is nonsensical.

I agree with much of this

Look as a supporter of Woodson it is hard to defend his past two blunders...but calling for his job and calling him amateur is premature

There is no logic to not pulling a player who asks to sit...period! That was dumb and like Smokes said he owned up to it

But Stat'4th qtr playing against The Heat was unique on two fronts...one Stat is on a medically advised minutes restriction (shows Woody does care about the well being of his players because he honors it! Also Stat's defense is major factor when deciding if he gonna play down the stretch, we all know that...if Tyson gets back on D instead of arguing a call (which led to a 4 pt swing) or if JR 3 goes in then we possibly win and no one would've questioned the call at all!

Its easy in hindsight to say what should have happened but even the best coaches make blunders

Van Gundy probably shouldve started Camby in the Finals over Chris Dudley to give best shot against Duncan

Pat Riley should have had Oakley in the game grabbing rebs when Charles Smith was bricking lay up after layup against The Bulls

Look Woody's mistake cost us Melo for tonight and he is probable against OKC...we beat Clev. so no harm done there, with or without Melo we better beat Detroit so it could have been worst especially if he suits up against OKC

"I'd Rather Melo shoot with 3 men on him than Jefferies shotting wide open"

Look as a supporter of Woodson it is hard to defend his past two blunders...but calling for his job and calling him amateur is premature

There is no logic to not pulling a player who asks to sit...period! That was dumb and like Smokes said he owned up to it

But Stat'4th qtr playing against The Heat was unique on two fronts...one Stat is on a medically advised minutes restriction (shows Woody does care about the well being of his players because he honors it! Also Stat's defense is major factor when deciding if he gonna play down the stretch, we all know that...if Tyson gets back on D instead of arguing a call (which led to a 4 pt swing) or if JR 3 goes in then we possibly win and no one would've questioned the call at all!

Its easy in hindsight to say what should have happened but even the best coaches make blunders

Van Gundy probably shouldve started Camby in the Finals over Chris Dudley to give best shot against Duncan

Pat Riley should have had Oakley in the game grabbing rebs when Charles Smith was bricking lay up after layup against The Bulls

Look Woody's mistake cost us Melo for tonight and he is probable against OKC...we beat Clev. so no harm done there, with or without Melo we better beat Detroit so it could have been worst especially if he suits up against OKC

He decides to start KT (ol' crazy eyes), who hasn't played a minute in a few games over STAT. F*ck this dude.

The inconsistencies in terms of blaming things on minute restrictions leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Shump is on a minute restriction and he's starting, plus his injury was worse. Minute restriction does not account for not starting, end of game minutes, and the overall choice of who he sat (and continues to sit) STAT for.

Then there's other examples of inconsistency such as running Kidd into the ground. Yet another example of how coach had options but waited until we suffered ill results as a team when the choice was easy and obvious.

Let's talk about defense. Didn't coach sell himself as a defensive coach; wasn't he preaching accountability? So why do we see more minutes for shooters without D like Novak and JR (who's d isn't as bad as Novak) and Brewer traded?

This isn't about revisionist history or being sullen over a loss; this is about calling dudes out when they look like they're bullsh*tting.

How about K-Mart looking like a cheerleader? No minutes for him either? Really.. even after an injured player (Melo) incorrectly playing the same position (PF) goes down? Then it was STAT time and time to go over the "minute" restriction. GTFOH.

honestly, we won't truly know anything until the playoffs come around. i think right now he's trying to figure out his roster. who's healthy and who's comfortable doing what he wants. i'll lose faith in woodson when i see james white and kurt thomas starting game 1 of the first round. lol

Woody is the right coach for this team. He is holding himself accountable for his mistakes and providing an example for the team. He chewed our JR during the pistons game and JR came back in and drained a 3 and played much better. He is getting STAT into the games and playing him just the right way (aside from the heat game) to ensure we are getting the most out of him.

Having STAT fresh going into the playoffs is exactly what we need.

Ok, so he started white and KT against the pistons who were down two starters. Honestly KT and white should have been adequate for that team. He thought Melo would play through the pain, sometimes a guy needs to be put back on the floor and play through a tweak or a stinger. I've got a guy on my team that always seems to have a bad back or a sprained finger or whatever, but when we tell him to get back on the floor and hustle he goes out and plays harder then ever and drains shots. a lot of injuries are more mental then physical.

Still when a tough guy like Melo asks to come out of the game, you should listen to him. And woody understands that and is holding himself accountable. Woody is making mistakes right now, but i'd rather he make them now then make them in game 3 and 4 of the first playoff series (ala. D'antoni). I'd like to see the rotations and lineups a little more ingrained and understood but we've had injuries to major components of the team for long periods and need to integrate the returns of players like STAT, Shump and even camby. So expect some more growing/line up pains for the next 2-3 weeks. After that we should be using a pretty set 9+ man rotation.

I am enjoying seeing Kidd off the bench though. The fresher we have him for playoffs the better.

That was not the first time this season a mediocre team took a 20 point lead on us early in the first half with Melo on the court, and it wont be the last.
We dont have a clue of team-defense with Melo & JR in a lineup for 10 straight minutes this season.
Stop with all the media-excuses on Dolan's Goldenboy Melo .... we havnt won a game on our DEFENSE in such a long time that when we do win a game from our DEFENSE, Dolan's media want to make excuses about Melo not being apart of it.
I just LUV my New York propaganda...